The capture of Britain’s largest recorded fox confirms fears that the animals are getting bigger and bolder as they adapt to suburban life

Slideshow: Britain's giant fox problem

At 1.22m from nose to tail and weighing 26lb, the European red fox found in Maidstone, Kent, had grown to the size of a seven-year-old child

Photograph: Charlie Jacoby

When Keith Talbot, a vet, trapped and killed the fox that had apparently eaten
his parents’ pet cat, he little realised it was probably the biggest ever
found in Britain.

“I knew when I saw it that it was big but I didn’t quite realise how big until
we did a bit of research ourselves,” said Talbot, who was spending Christmas
at his parents’ home when he caught the fox on Boxing Day.

With easy access to discarded food from suburban homes in Maidstone, Kent, the
fox had grown to twice the normal size of the species. When weighed, Talbot
found it was 26½lb — nearly two stone. At exactly 4ft it was same length as
an average seven-year-old child and about the size of a coyote, dingo or
Iberian lynx.

Zoologists and experts contacted by The Sunday Times said they had never come
across such a large animal, but it